The Beauty of Overshot: Stars & Roses with Bettie Zakon-Anderson (JUN 23-27)
*OPTIONAL BOARDING HOUSE ROOM RESERVATION (THIS HOLDS YOUR SPOT, ROOM FEES + TAX DUE AT THE END OF YOUR STAY)
June 23 - 27 (TUES-SAT, 9 AM–4 PM)
Overshot opens design possibilities on 4-harness looms like no other structure. Bettie Zakon-Anderson’s love of overshot goes back 40 years and in this class, she'll share why it continues to be one of her favorite weave structures. This class will introduce the basics of reading overshot drafts, understanding block structures, the twill circle, and weaving with two shuttles. Together, you’ll work towards moving beyond “reading the treadling draft” to “seeing the pattern” as it grows on the loom. You’ll learn five unique ‘families’ of overshot, the difference between star- and rose-fashion, and make your own design using name drafting. The class will begin with a collaborative "round robin": each student will dress a loom with one of the five families and then rotate between different looms on a set schedule. This efficient approach will enable you to go home with a beautiful collection of the five overshot structures. Mid-week you’ll design your own project based on your favorite(s). If you would like your warp for your personal project to be in cotton or cottolin, please bring that yarn to class. A Harrisville Designs Model A4 loom is provided, along with all necessary equipment and our 100% woolen yarns in 64 colors.
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner. Students must be able to actively warp and weave on a floor loom.
Materials List: Notebook, slippers or socks, pens, pencils, scissors.
*If you reserve a room in the Boarding House, your room fee is due at the end of your stay. Please scroll down to read more important information about the Cheshire Mills Boarding House.
Cancellation Deadline: 4/28/2026
MEET YOUR TEACHER
BETTIE ZAKON-ANDERSON first fell in love with weaving while taking classes at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1983-85. She is a juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen, a member of Monadnock Art and a juried member of Blue Fern Gallery in Peterborough, NH. Bettie is currently a weaving specialist at Harrisville Designs and a technical editor for Handwoven and Little Looms magazines. She especially enjoys helping weavers gain confidence as they grow their weaving skills.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Please note our 2026 cancellation and refund policy includes a non-refundable $100.00 registration fee per workshop. In the case you must withdraw, you have 8 weeks prior to class for a full tuition refund, less the registration fee. After this date all payments are non-refundable, no exceptions. Thank you for your understanding!
Have a question about a HD workshop or class order? Email hdretail@harrisville.com.
Single Rooms, $70 Per Night
Alternative Dining & Housing
Students may bring groceries from home when staying at the boarding house. In addition, Harrisville General Store is conveniently located in the heart of our small village. A quick walk from both the boarding house and Harrisville Designs Retail Store & Studio, it offers a variety groceries, pre-made local food options and a short order menu available 8am-2 pm for breakfast and lunch sandwiches, burgers, BLTs, etc.
Harrisville is a short drive from Peterborough (15 minutes away) and Keene (20-25 minutes away); both offer a nice variety of grocery stores, hotels, shops, and restaurants.
Additional accommodations in Harrisville are available at Aldworth Manor and the Harrisville Inn and at local Airbnb’s including the Harrisville Guest Suite. Peterborough accommodations are available at Cranberry Meadow Farm, the Riverhouse Hotel, and the Little River Bed and Breakfast. Options in Keene include the Carriage Barn Inn, the Best Western Plus, the Fairfield Inn & Suites, the Holiday Inn Express, the Courtyard by Marriott, and Days Inn. We also suggest searching Airbnb and Vrbo.
Location
About Our Workshops
Nestled in the heart of a historic textile village, workshops at Harrisville Designs take place in the Bethuel Harris Mill. Built in the 1830s as a spinning mill for locally raised wool and located at the end of the canal, it originally operated on water power. Today, it’s home to our first-floor retail store and spacious second-floor workshop studio. Year after year students are greeted by sunlit windows, fresh air, and tranquil views of the mill pond and preserved industrial brick buildings.
Workshops vary in skill levels and lengths. Enrollment is limited to ensure each student is immersed in the atmosphere of a working studio rather than a classroom. Most scheduled classes meet from 9 am to 4 pm; however, the studio is open to students 24 hours a day while their class is in session. Looms are provided in the weaving classes, and woolen yarn and other materials are included unless otherwise noted in the materials lists online. While taking a class, students receive a 10% discount on HD items in our store, including looms! (Excludes sale and consignment items)
Have a question about a HD workshop or class order? Email hdretail@harrisville.com.